Chapter 050 Chapter 50
When she got up early, Yao Niang felt her eyelids were swollen, and the sunlight was a little dazzling when it hit her eyes.
Although I have been rushing these days, they are actually very pleasant days. I don't have to think about anything every day and can just enjoy the scenery along the way, except for the so-called Jinyiwei investigating a case yesterday.
"Yao Niang, it's time to get up. If you don't get up, be careful that Mr. Shen will laugh at you." When Xie saw her daughter open her eyes, she handed her some honey water and called her to get up.
Yao Niang stretched her back and said, "I understand, mother."
But when she got up and finished breakfast, the Shen family had not yet notified them to leave, so Xie wanted to send someone to check on Shen Linfeng, but was stopped by Yao Niang.
"Mother, Master Shen came up here specially to help us yesterday, so he must have slept late. We are not in a hurry anyway, so let him rest for a while. Why rush him?"
Although Shen Linfeng escorted them voluntarily, what can we say? He is not related to their family, so they may have to follow his timing.
Xie thought so too, but she asked people to iron her clothes and pack her luggage. She hated the smell of mothballs, and even the clothes she wore smelled stale.
Yao Niang also went back to her room to iron her clothes, especially the clothes she needed to change, she did not dare to be careless.
They waited until lunch time, when Shen Linfeng sent someone to say that they would set off after lunch. He had been up all night and slept for half a day, so he felt very refreshed. When he heard that no one from the Yan family came to urge him during this period, he had an even better impression of the Yan family.
I saw Yao Niang coming downstairs. She was wearing a pink half-sleeve spring shirt today and a headband of the same color on her head. She looked even more lovely and lively as she moved.
Yao Niang couldn't help but ask Shen Linfeng: "Mr. Shen, who were those Jinyiwei chasing yesterday?"
Shen Linfeng shook his head: "I don't know either, but the one who can be ordered by Liu to go out personally must be an important figure. I think when we pass Gongyi and Yanshi, I think we can just go all the way, but it will be unfair to Madam Yan and Sister Yan."
Before, she always called her Miss Yan, but now she just calls her Sister Yan. Xie was also an experienced person, so she understood.
Yao Niang naturally heard it as well. She was quite accepting of this title. Moreover, Shen Linfeng looked like a decent person, not an evil one.
"Okay, then should we ask the postmaster to prepare some dry food for us to take away?" Yao Niang asked.
Shen Linfeng said confidently, "Don't worry, I've asked someone to prepare everything."
Yao Niang smiled and said, "Brother Shen is really considerate."
Rong An, who was standing behind Shen Linfeng, took a look at the young master in front of him and was very shocked. This young master of his could not even be called out. All the food and snacks were prepared by himself and the steward, but now he asked others to prepare all of them.
Shen Linfeng invited the mother and daughter of the Yan family to get on the carriage, and he rode on the side. When Yao Niang lifted the curtain and looked out, she could just see his figure.
Somehow I felt a little more at ease.
About six days later, they arrived at the Jinyang Inn in Luoyang. Yao Niang then learned that the Shen family actually had a villa in Luoyang. However, given their current relationship with the Yan family, it was not appropriate for them to live in the villa as this would lead to gossip. So it was better for them to live in the inn.
As expected, nowadays everyone who comes to Luoyang comes to see the peonies.
When they arrived in Luoyang, they found out that there was no place to sell peonies, but that they could choose from a variety of famous gardens. The first place they visited was the home of a retired official named Pan. They heard that this man liked to show off his knowledge of culture and liked to grow a variety of peonies, which was very famous in the area.
Moreover, his gardens are open to tourists to choose, and if they like one, the manager will come to negotiate the price.
It was called the Peony Garden, but in fact there were many peonies, kerria, osmanthus, roses, golden yarn, jade embroidery balls, and small peonies in the garden. There were men and young girls entering the garden. Yao Niang helped Xie go in, and Shen Linfeng stayed by her side the whole time.
Yao Niang found that many young ladies who came towards her were secretly looking at Shen Linfeng. She thought that the first time she saw him, her evaluation of him was that he was a blue-faced man with a dark side, and it turned out to be true.
"Among peonies, Yao Huang and Wei Zi are the rarest. This is also what makes our Pan Garden different from others." The manager introduced.
Yao Niang actually didn't care about the expensiveness of the flowers. She just wanted to pick some that looked nice so that she could take them back and put them on display, which would make her trip to Luoyang worthwhile. Besides, appreciating flowers was more to her liking.
Xie really loved flowers. She couldn't move when she saw so many flowers. She said to Yao Niang, "You just take the servants to go somewhere nearby. I'll take a look here first."
Yao Niang nodded, and when she was about to leave, she saw Shen Linfeng following her.
If you happen to meet someone wearing flowers in their hair, if you like a flower, you can pay and wear it directly.
"Do you want to cut a branch to make a hairpin?" Shen Linfeng asked hurriedly when he saw Yao Niang's eager expression.
Yao Niang smiled and said, "Let's do it together."
Nowadays, men also wear flowers in their hair, and some who love beauty even put powder on their faces, but Yao Niang's brother Yan Jingzhao doesn't like to wear flowers in his hair, thinking it's too feminine. She doesn't know if Shen Linfeng will also dislike this, but Shen Linfeng is surprisingly easy to manage.
He smiled and said, "Okay, you wear the hairpin, and I will wear the flowers with you."
Seeing how obedient he was, Yao Niang felt much better. She never liked people who went against her.
"Brother Shen, what color flowers do you like?" Yao Niang was in a good mood and started talking more.
Shen Linfeng thought for a moment and said, "I like a slightly lighter moon white or a slightly darker blue sky than ultramarine." Then he asked Yao Niang, "What color does Sister Yan like?"
Yao Niang blurted out: "I like pink, pale yellow, and pea green."
"I thought you could only say one thing." Shen Linfeng said with a smile.
Yao Niang said, "Actually, no matter what color it is, as long as it is well matched and the person is nice, it will look good. Hey, there is a pink peony over there, I wonder if it is Zhaofen or Fengchanjiao?"
Shen Linfeng said, "This is Jade Hibiscus. They have similar colors, but they are also different."
"How do you know what kind this is? I've felt it so many times that I can't tell the difference." Yao Niang thought Shen Linfeng was too amazing.
But he pointed to the small wooden sign next to him and said, "Look, it's all written on the small wooden sign there."
Yao Niang suddenly realized: "I thought you knew them all."
Shen Linfeng said with a smile: "How is that possible? But I also want to pick some for my mother."
"Don't you need to be more picky? Maybe the ones at the back are better." Yao Niang said.
Shen Linfeng said: "It's easy to be dazzled if you look at too many. Since the peony garden here is recognized as the best, I also think the gardens here are good. Why should I choose too many?"
I don't know if it was an illusion, but Yao Niang always felt that his words were meaningful, but when she looked up again, she saw that Shen Linfeng was the same as before. She didn't know what to say. After all, their relationship was not really confirmed, so it was not good to say too much.
"Manager, can you pick all the flowers here and use them as hairpins?" Yao Niang asked.
The fat steward smiled and said, "It's all fine, Miss, just pick whatever you like."
Yao Niang saw a pot of peonies with two different colors on the same plant. She liked it immediately and asked the manager, "What kind is this?"
"To answer the young lady's question, this is Luoyang Jin, also known as Er Qiao."
Yao Niang pointed to another peony with pink and white petals, which looked like the slightly blushing cheeks of a fair-skinned girl. It looked very cute. She was afraid that her hands would damage the flower, so she just lowered her head and sniffed it.
Shen Linfeng looked at her expression and couldn't help but ask, "Do you want to buy this one?"
Yao Niang was not the shy type. She nodded slightly and said to the manager, "I want this hairpin flower. How much does it cost?"
The fat steward was a steward of an official family, and he was very smart. He saw that the girl's behavior was very noble, and she was not an ordinary person at all. In addition, the man next to her also looked like a son of a noble family. Their looks were rare in the world and very unusual. He also saw that the man next to the girl was always looking at the girl's eyes. He was also very smart. He looked at the man and said, "If the lady likes this pot of flowers, it's not expensive. Others will take fifty guan, and you can give twenty guan."
"Then let's take this pot." Shen Linfeng was very easy to talk to.
Yao Niang thought that her maternal grandparents were from Zhejiang, and they were quite shrewd. Especially Shen Linfeng, who seemed to be very reliable, was selling a pot of peony for twenty guan. Was he a liar? She glanced at Shen Linfeng, and then said to the fat manager, "You are so dishonest, manager. I just bought two pots of Jade Princess, and they also gave me two pots of Hydrangea, which was only eight guan of silver. You said that this garden belonged to a certain official. How could you be so cruel?"
The fat steward was embarrassed by what he said, but he still tried to argue: "This flower is very different from other flowers."
"I think they are all the same." Yao Niang didn't like people who treated others like fools, so she snorted coldly.
Shen Linfeng listened to Yao Niang's words and saw that she was indeed tough and principled, and was a little surprised. Because he had heard his sister comment on several girls in the Yan family after Yan Ningxin broke off the engagement, saying that the eldest was stupid, the second was cunning, the third was gentle, and the fourth was the most cunning.
He glanced at Yao Niang again and found that she gave him a glare. Shen Linfeng quickly followed suit: "Yes, if you are really honest, I was going to buy a hundred pots, but now it seems unnecessary."
Yao Niang felt much better when she heard Shen Linfeng's words. She looked at the fat steward and said, "You should just give me an honest price."
The fat steward was also flexible. When he heard Shen Linfeng said he wanted to buy 100 pots, he immediately said, "The girl is really talented and intelligent, and she is kind-hearted. Forget it, just treat it as a friend. Can't I sell it for 4 taels per pot?"
Yao Niang didn't pursue the matter too much, and just said, "Why didn't you say so earlier? By the way, do you have any blue flowers? Let me see them too, and I'll buy them too."
“有，只不過不是牡丹，是叫扁竹蘭，原本在雲南那邊，是我們老太爺托人從昆明移植過來的。”胖掌櫃立馬讓人搬了過來。
窈娘見扁竹蘭的顏色好看，故而又對沈臨風道：“君子如蘭，這株花就送給沈公子，多謝你這一路護送我們母女。”
沈臨風從懂事起，就不少女子擲花，但是那些人并不是真的喜歡他，喜歡的是他的皮囊，他的家世帶來的光環。可他八歲以前還長的白白胖胖的，其實并不讨人喜歡，就連他父親都罵他癡肥，沒有世家公子的風度。
誰也沒想到他會瘦下來，成現在這樣。
可他在窈娘眼中，從來沒見到那種癡迷皮囊的樣子，她甚至都是欣賞的。
沈臨風緩緩點頭。
不遠處的解氏看着沈臨風和女兒各自簪花，也忍不住笑了，一旁的宋媽媽道：“姑娘這樣的性子像極了大哥兒。”
就是有些要強的樣子，解氏則道：“這樣也好，你不知道女人家若是強硬些，男子慢慢就開始依賴了。”
宋媽媽看着不遠處的璧人，忍不住道：“也不知道怎麽說，三姑娘和沈公子站在一起，就格外的好看。”
其實不是俊男美女站在一起就一定有夫妻相的，很難有站在一起就是一對的樣子。
窈娘她們在洛陽停留的時日不多，解氏一共選了六盆花，俱是名品，花了三十兩銀錢。沈臨風則挑了不少名種，聽說是要運三車回去。
這次回京，她們就準備乘船行走，沈臨風辦事很妥當，專門去船行賃了一艘大船，把好的艙房讓給解氏和窈娘住下。
在船上的日子，沈臨風只想睡覺，對一切都沒有興趣，偶爾睡飽了覺就在甲板上看書，這個時候就會有琴聲響起，多半是《漁舟唱晚》或者《春江花月夜》這樣舒緩些的曲子，二人雖然沒有說什麽話，但是這種默契也不是人人都有的。
每當這時，船上的人也是如聞天籁。
現在要上京，已經不是在河南，衆人眼皮子底下，解氏也讓窈娘要自尊自重，如此別人才會說閑話。
窈娘就是偶爾憋悶時，才會下去船上走走，只不過解氏倒是生病了。
舟車勞頓，她原本是養尊處優的人，因此感染了風寒。
沈臨風立馬讓人在下一個渡口，請了大夫開了藥，窈娘沒想到解氏因為自己這樣奔波勞累反而病了，就聰明問大夫：“我娘沒事兒吧。”
“放心，夫人就只是稍感風寒，別的都正常，請小姐放心。”大夫道。
窈娘也松了一口氣，沈臨風送完大夫之後，又專門折返回來對窈娘道：“這些日子就讓顏夫人好好養病，只要有不适之處，我們就停下來叫大夫診治，切勿耽擱了病情。”
“多謝沈公子，你也要保重身體，船上潮熱，晝夜溫差又大，的确很容易生病。”窈娘很感激沈臨風。
他和自己非親非故的，卻做的事情無不妥帖。
沈臨風笑道：“沒事兒，我讓廚房的人熬了鴿子湯，你多喝一碗。”
“好，我争取多喝一碗湯。”窈娘心安了許多。
只是，她又有些懊惱：“我母親生病時素來愛吃清湯面，尤其是手擀的，拉的細細的那種，可惜我并不擅長廚藝，能不能勞煩廚房送一碗面過來？”
沈臨風莞爾：“自然可以，妹妹既然不擅長廚藝，我讓廚下人做就是了。”
**
又說京中甄氏和龔夫人幾經暗示，龔夫人倒是知道些消息：“你不必惱，我聽聞那沈臨風馬上就要參加制科考試，如今人并不在京中，等他考上制科，我再去說此事，這豈不是雙喜臨門？”
甄氏道：“唉，我家夫君那裏，他的性子一貫倔強，到時候還要麻煩大夫人您了。”
龔夫人心道這顏侍郎是個硬茬子，雖然和龔家是一派，但也并不完全聽命于龔家，他也有自己的一班人。
讓龔家和沈家的仇越結越深，這可不是一件好事，對龔次輔而言底下人互相制衡是好事，但是橫生枝節，就容易被外人挑動。
但是還要安撫甄氏：“就連皇上都說顏侍郎脾性剛烈，國之重臣，這樣比什麽都好。”自然，她還有另外一件事情要說：“你們景昭的親事怎麽樣了？”
甄氏當然想自己的侄女嫁給顏景昭最好，可是在侄女和女兒的幸福中，她還是選自己的女兒，故而，甄氏道：“還沒有呢，到底關氏的孝期沒過，我們家素來守禮。”
龔大夫人則道：“你們家規矩素來很好，這我是知道的。但景昭到底明年就授官了，內眷不在可不成。再說了，也不是立馬就成婚，先想看着，等出了關氏的孝，再娶回來不就是了。”
“您這麽說可是有人選介紹給我？那我可得聽聽了。”甄氏笑道。
要說甄氏也着實讓龔夫人佩服，明明顏家出了那麽大的醜事，人家依然面不改色的出來交際，手腕還頗為高超。
龔夫人道：“說來也不是別人，有好幾家的姑娘我看着都不錯，也挺适合你們景昭的。但是我想景昭喜歡什麽樣的呢？你們做父母的，知曉麽？”
往往這個時候甄氏也有些尴尬的，外人像龔夫人這樣揣着明白裝糊塗的，分明想趁着解氏不在，就幫顏景昭把親事定下來。
若說女孩兒們的事情甄氏還能博一把，或者自己的兒子她能全權做主，但是顏景昭的婚事她無法作主，可既然要換得這位大夫人幫忙，她也就使用了春秋筆法：“其實只要姑娘家賢淑溫厚，又有什麽好指摘的。”
龔夫人就道：“過幾日郎尚書七十春秋，到時候我介紹給你看看。”
“那就一切麻煩您了。”甄氏想反正到時候就說是龔夫人介紹的，她不好推辭，想必解氏無法出去交際也不認得什麽人。
龔夫人拍了拍她的手：“好說好說。對了，你呀，把你們家那幾位姑娘都喊出來我看看，尤其是四姑娘，我可是想死她了。”
甄氏又讓衛媽媽把倩娘瑩娘還有她侄女甄離一起過來，不一會兒，三位姑娘就過來了。龔夫人各自又給了一串珊瑚珠子，還道：“你們拿着玩兒吧。”
三位姑娘都道謝，龔夫人見到這三位姑娘，顏家二姑娘沉默溫柔，四姑娘頗有種小姑娘的熱情洋溢，那位甄姑娘卻是雪膚花貌十分标致，卻是一位難得的美人。
“依照我看，你這位內侄女和你們家三姑娘容貌差不多了。”龔夫人誇贊道。
甄離又起來道福，也在想她來京中之後，還真的沒見過三姑娘，聽聞她去外祖家走親戚了。常常聽到提起，卻未曾謀面，也不知曉好不好相處？
她到顏家來了之後，兩位表妹都和她關系不錯，但是倩娘人和順一點，從不說人是非，倒是四姑娘性情有些傲慢，據說三姑娘是最能壓制四姑娘的人，也是個嗆口小辣椒。
見過龔夫人，甄離帶着丫鬟回房去，她身邊的丫頭見她在出神，不由得問起：“表姑娘，您在想什麽？”
“沒，沒什麽，我只是在想你們家三姑娘又不知道是個什麽樣的美人兒？”甄離道。
丫頭就道：“我們家三姑娘那是才貌雙全，無論是琴棋書畫還是詩詞歌賦，樣樣都不在話下，就是說話，也是伶俐的口齒，相貌更美若天仙似的，可就一條，她這個人并不好相處。我們府上二姑娘是個性子最和氣不過的，三姑娘可不一樣，脾氣大的很，那些刁一些的媽媽若是犯到她手上，她是必定言辭犀利的。就連四姑娘，也不是三姑娘的對手。”
甄離扶額：“那我要怎麽和她相處呢？我初來乍到的，也不懂這些。”
丫頭笑道：“表姑娘放心，你們不是一個房頭的，而且呀，三姑娘還是很講道理的人，而且很沉得住氣，并非是那種小性子的人。”
這愛使小性子的人說的是誰，甄離當然會心一笑。
就在甄離還覺得和三姑娘見面還有一段時日時，沒想到次日，就聽說解氏二夫人和三姑娘要到家了。
姑父和大表兄都去通州口岸迎接了。
是的，顏應祁和顏景昭今日都雙雙過來了，顏景昭還笑道：“不知道娘和妹妹看了多少種牡丹花？妹妹還說要給娘在牡丹叢中畫畫呢。”
“就是啊，她們母女也不知道怎麽回來的，我還真的有些擔心。你娘只是大概跟我來了一封信說到的日子，別的她也不和我說。”顏應祁撇嘴。
顏景昭也覺得自己這位爹也算是個癡情種子了，但調侃長輩他是萬萬不敢說的。
二人正說着，就見一艘船靠近，船頭正是連管事，顏景昭一喜：“爹，您看，肯定就是這一艘船。”
父子二人正開心，沒想到船靠岸，首先出來的人竟然是沈臨風，他在前面走出來後，又停頓了一會兒，才見解氏和一位戴着帷帽的少女出來。
Yan Yingqi walked forward with his son and was stunned for a moment. Something was wrong. Why were the two of them together with Shen Linfeng?
The first thing his daughter said when she saw him was not to reminisce about the past. Instead, she said, "Dad, you must thank Brother Shen for us. He has worked so hard to take care of us along the way."
Brother Shen!!!
Yan Yingqi just felt goosebumps all over his body and his teeth were aching. Who can tell him what is going on?